File folder support



June 12, 1956 s. L. HATCH 2,749,915

FILE FOLDER SUPPORT Filed April 23, 1954 INVENTOR. Jzlo/vsy L. Z'ZQICl-f United States Patent OF;

FILE FOLDER- SUPPORT Sidney L. Hatch, Chicago, iii.

Application April 23, 1954, Serial No. 425,168

1 Claim. (Cl. 12916.7)

This invention relates to a file folder support of the type wherein the folder is suspended in vertical position within a file drawer or the like.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of a structure of this character which will be highly efficient in use, economical in manufacture, and one which when arranged in a file drawer or the like will permit easy separation of the file folder, afiording ready and convenient access to the contents thereof.

An important object of my invention is the provision of a simple and expeditious arrangement for permitting the suspension bars to be readily attached to or removed from the file folder should, for instance, it be desired to place the folder in storage, thus permitting the suspension bars to be reused by simply detaching the same from the folder to be stored.

Another and equally important object of my invention is the provision of a suspension bar which may be used in conjunction with a standard file folder by simply modifying said folder to provide openings therein to receive the attaching elements of the suspension bar.

Another and equally important object of the invention is to provide a suspension bar for a file folder which is of a construction such as will not interfere with attaching to the suspension bar or to the folder, indexing or identification tabs.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a conventional file drawer, showing my improved suspended folder associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a file folder modified to be used in conjunction with the suspension bar embodied in my invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the suspension bar embodied in my invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the file folder showing the opening to be punched therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to that shown in Fig. 4 but illustrating the punched-out portion of the opening turned back upon the folder;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the file folder showing my suspension bar in place;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the reverse side of that shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken sub stantially on line 88 of Fig. 2.

Suspension folders are usually associated with a frame or file drawer having opposite parallelly extending supporting rods. In Fig. l a conventional file drawer is indicated at 10 and the supporting rods thereof at 11. This drawer may be of any approved standard construc- 2,749,915 Patented" June 12, 1.956

tion provided with supporting rods such as indicated. at 11'. It is from these rods 11 thatfile folders are sus: pended in vertical relation with respect to eachother.

One of such filefolders is indicated at.12. It com: prisesconfronting sections 13 between which the file con.- tents' are placed. With each file folder 12 there are pro vided two supporting bars, one for each section 13. My improved supporting bar is indicated at 14. It is'preferably formed. of metal, although any suitable material capable of: serving the. purpose may beused. The bar 14 is of narrow elongated formation with its upper long edge folded back upon itself to provide a stiffening rib or flange 13. The lower long edge portion 16 of the bar 14 is curved slightly outwardly to engage the adjacent face of the section of the file folder to which the bar 14 is attached, for reasons hereinafter pointed out.

Formed in the bar 14 are equally spaced apart struckout tabs 17. These tabs taper inwardly and upwardly, as shown. The opposite end portions of the bar 14 provide open notches 17 adapted to receive the rods 11 when placed in position upon such rods to support the file folder 12.

In each of the sections 13 of the folder 12 there are struck out portions or flaps 18 which are adapted to be folded back upon the adjacent side of the section 13 by the projection of the tabs 17 through the openings 19 provided by the struck-out portions 18. The opposite vertical edge portions 20 defining the openings 19 taper upwardly and inwardly. By this arrangement, when the tabs 17 are projected through the openings 19, the weight of the file folder and its contents will effect a wedging of the tabs 17 in the openings 19. Such an arrangement prevents the file folder from becoming accidentally detached from the bar 14. When the tabs 17 are projected through the openings 19, the curved edge portions 16 of the bar 14 will bear against the adjacent section of the file folder, thereby to bear such section against the tabs to provide a firm but detachable connection between the bar 14 and the file folder. The material struck from the bar 14 to provide the notches 17 is turned back upon the bar to provide a rounded edge 21. Such edge, when in engagement with the rods 11, reduces friction when the suspended file folder is moved relative to the file drawer. This arrangement also provides more freedom of sliding movement of the file folder within the drawer. The rounded edges 21 also lessen the, wearing effect between the bar 14 and the rods 11.

There may be attached to the file folder or bar an identification or indexing tab such as disclosed in my Patent No. 2,526,950, dated October 24, 1950.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that 1 accomplish the several objects of my invention by a construction which is durable, substantially economical in manufacture, and one which is highly efiicient for the purpose intended.

The construction permits ready attachment to or removable of the bar from the file folder when occasion arises to place the file folder, for example, in storage. The suspension bars are of sufiicient rigidity to permit the file folders to be moved from one drawer to another, as desired or as required.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

The combination with a file folder having spaced apart horizontal edge portions, tapered flaps struck from said folder adjacent said edge portions to provide openings therein with the flaps folded back around said folder in theldirection of said edge portions, said openings having opposite corresponding edge portions correspondingly tapered upwardly and inwardly with respect to each other, a suspension bar extending along each of said horizontal edge portions and having tabs struck therefrom for pro jecting into said openings over said flaps, said tabs being tapered to correspond to said flaps and said openings for a wedging efiect when said tabs are projecting into said openings over' said flaps, said flaps bearing on said tabs in a lateral direction with respect to said folder when said tabs are projected in said openings over said flaps, said bar having its lower long edge curved in a corresponding lateral direction with respect to said flaps for bearing engagement With the adjacent surface of said folder to bear said folder against said tabs, the opposite end portions of said bar formed to provide open hooks extending in an opposite direction With respect to said tabs.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 

